GenX- Energy saving Lid

grabcad

Energy waste is a significant concern, despite being largely invisible. The U.S. Department of Energy states that cooking accounts for 4.5% of total energy use in U.S. homes, with this figure even higher in other countries. To combat this issue, we have designed a concave shaped cooking lid with an ergonomic handle, fitting on and covering various pots and pans. Our research shows that the concave-shaped lid is more efficient than regular household convex lids, retaining heat better and reducing cooking time. The ergonomic handle allows for stirring or pouring ingredients without removing the entire lid. The working principle of our design involves utilizing pressure to reduce cooking time. As pressure rises inside the pot, the trapped water and steam's temperature increases above 100°C, causing a shift in boiling point. Hot vapors and trapped air continue raising internal vessel temperatures, leading to faster cooking. However, opening the lid to add ingredients or stir releases this built-up pressure, causing energy waste as cold air enters the vessel. Our design mitigates this issue with its concave shape, trapping heat better and minimizing heat loss when opening for stirring or adding ingredients. Our calculations show that our new lid design saves an average of 30 seconds every 8 minutes of cooking, equating to 0.04425 m³ of natural gas saved per hour - a cost savings of approximately $12.65 annually per lid. This project was conducted at the University at Buffalo, SUNY, under the guidance of advising instructor Prof. Chi Zhou, with team members Swapnil Ghore, Parth Patel, Madhubala Baheti, and Dhruvay Jain.